Service box for electric circuit installations



y 3, 1934- M J. LEWQIS 1,964,763

SERVICE BOX FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUIT INSTALLATIONS F1106 June 1, 19:52 2 sheets-sheet 1' ATTORNEYS July 3, 1934.

SERVICE BOX M. J. LEWIS rm?! June 1, 1932 FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUIT INSTALLATIONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f Arrormsvs Patented July 3, 1934 UNITED STATES SERVICE BOX FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUIT INSTALLATIONS Morgan J. Lewis, Philadelphia,

Pa., assignor to Code Electric Products Corporation, York, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 1, 1932, Serial No. 614,721

4 Claims.

My present invention has for its object to provide an improved type of box for accommodating line switches and the accompanying fuse blocks, forming part of the circuit wiring systems which are installed in buildings and dwellings for electric power line connections from which current for power and domestic purposes is obtained. A feature of my invention relates to the manner of mounting a main line switch and its accompanying fuses compactly and providing a housing for the parts adapted particularly to meet the requirements of the service company by readily affording its employees access to the entire equipment and at the same time give the user of current equal facility to the line fus J to enable him to replace these as occasion may require.

' My invention also comprehends a coacting arrangement of parts between the switch actuating lever, the main door or closure of the box and a supplemental door mounted on the main door and controlling access to the fuses, whereby the person using the current is first obliged to switch off the current or open the circuit before he can replace a fuse. The arrangement of these parts is also such that the line switch cannot be again closed until the door covering the fuses is first closed.

To these and other ends my invention consists in certain improvements and arrangements of parts all as will be further described, the novel features being set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a service box embodying my present invention, the doors of which are shown in the open position} Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2z--2:c of Fig. 1, the doors being shown in the closed position; Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3x-3:c of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a line switch in the open position; Figs. 5 and 6 are fragmentary sectional views taken on the line 5x-5:r of Fig. 4, showing the latch controlling the closing movement of the switch in its inoperative and operative positions respectively; Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view showing the manner of mounting the switch blades and the construction of their actuating members. Similar reference characters. in the several figures indicate similar parts.

In illustrating my invention I have shown a service box embodying my present invention in conjunction with an electric meter and the usual 5 terminal box associated therewith. The latter is indicated generally by A and contains the meter circuit test block B, which parts are closed against access to unauthorized persons by a door A. The service box may be made integral with the terminal box, but is preferably made as an independent unit and is located beneath the latter. It is rectangular in construction and comprises a bottom 1, side walls 2 and 3, a bottom wall 4, and a top wall 5 provided with a suitable aperture for the accommodation of the necessary. wiring connections. Its open front is closed by the door 6 carried on hinges '7 and having side flanges 2' and 3 and bottom and top flanges 4 and 5, which fit over the corresponding walls of the box proper.

I dispose within the service box a specially constructed fuse block for accommodating a plurality of fuses for circuits carrying current for high duty purposes and other fuses for' ordinary house lighting circuits, and associate with these fuses a circuit breaker comprising one or more switch arms which may be opened and closed from the exterior of the box. In carrying out my invention, I have devised an improved arrangement of the necessary parts whereby they are readily accessible and also permit the service box to be made narrower in width and of less depth than other boxes heretofore employed. The fuse block I have provided will accommodate a sufficient number of fuses to render a single box practically universally serviceable for installations of a domestic character and adaptable to most all of those installations which furnish power for lighter manufacturing purposes. The fuse block indicated by 10 is made of porcelain or other insulating material, and formed in its outer face are elongated recesses or compartments for the accommodation of the cartridge type fuses indicated by 11. The lower half of the block is arranged for the accommodation of the screw plug type of fuses indicated by 12, of which six are shown. The cartridge fuses are held at their upper ends by spring terminal clips 13 and at their lower ends by similar clips 14. The circuit connections may be effected with respect to these terminals as may be desired and for purposes of illustration I have shown bus bars 15 connecting the terminals 14 with the central contacts 16 of the fuses 12, the screw threaded shells for the latter being in circuit with other terminals 12. The fuse block 10 is mounted on a bridge piece 18 so that its outer face projects slightly beyond the plane of the outeredges of the side walls 2 and 3 of the service box as shown in Fig. 2, the block 10 being provided with a surrounding recess 19 which cooperates with the aperture in the door 6 when the latter is closed as will be further described. The bridge piece 18 is supported in spaced relation to the bottom 1 of the service box on legs 20 to provide a channel beneath the fuse block for the accommodation of the switch blade actuator, also certain of the wiring connections as indicated by 25, as well as to provide the desired proper spacing between the bottom of the service box and the terminals carried on the block 10.

The circuit switches, of which two are shown, comprise metal blades 26 which are located at the upper end of the block 10 and pivoted beneath it in proper circuit connection with the fuses. This mounting is accomplished by pivoting one end of the blades in clips 2'? located in suitable recesses in the bottom of the block and in electrical communication with the fuse clips 13, which connection is effected by means of bolts 28 which extend through perforations in the block. The outer ends of these switch blades engage with stationary circuit terminals comprising spring jaws 29, which are mounted on insulating strips 30 secured to the bottom 1 of the service box beyond the upper end of the fuse block.

In order to move the switch arms into and out of engagement with the terminals 29, I provide an actuating member in the form of a crank which is journalled in the legs 20 of the bridge piece 18 beneath the fuse block. This actuating member is preferably constructed of a rod shaped as shown in Fig. '1 to provide journal portions 31 and 32 and crank portions '33 and 34 extending therefrom and connected by a portion 35 extending beneath the switch blades 26 to which it is attached by connecting members 36. The latter extend rearwardly from the switch arms and are provided with slots 37 in which the portion 35of the actuator travels. It will be observed from this arrangement of the parts that, when the crank is operated to disengage the switch blades from the jaws 29. it pushes against the solid body of the insulation pieces 36 so there is no possibility of failure in the opening movement of the switch.

The journal portion 32 of the switch actuator is made long enough to extend outwardly through the side wall 3 of the service box and is provided with an end 38 serving as an operating handle which is provided with a shoulder 39 located slightly beyond the front face of the service box. On the exterior of the adjacent side wall 3 of the box, I provide a U-shaped metal loop 40 which embraces the lever arm or handle 38 and is so positioned as to act as a stop therefor in both directions, preventing it from being sprung or forced laterally out of its normal position, shown in Fig. 3, but permitting it to be rotated from its normal position, also shown in Fig. 2, to that shown in Fig. 4. One or both of the leg portions of the loop 40 may be perforated as indicated at 41 to permit the insertion of the hasp of a padlock, whichcan be snapped in place to embrace the handle 38 to permanently secure it to hold the switch blades either in the closed or in the opened position as occasion may require. The actuator is provided at a convenient position within the service box with a projection or finger 45, which is preferably formed as an extension leading from the journal portion 31 and the extremity of which lies adjacent the inner face of the door 6 at the side at which the door is hinged. Mounted on this portion of the door is a spring tongue 46 the free end of which is normally out of the path of movement of the finger 45, but is capable of moving into alinement therewith, as indicated by the dash and dot lines in Fig. 4, to 1 prevent the closing movement of the switch blades 26 under certain circumstances as will be now described.

The door 6 comprises a main closure for the service box and on its free edge carries a locking bolt 50 provided with slots 51 cooperating with studs 52 permitting it to move longitudinally. At the upper end the bolt carries a hook 53 which cooperates with a projection 54 on the inside of the wall 3 and at its lower end itis offset slightly as shown in Fig.2, adapting it to pass through registering apertiues in the bottom 4 of the service box and the bottom flange 4' of the door 6. The knob 56 attached to the bar 50 and projecting on the exterior of the door 6 permits the bar to be raised and lowered. At its lower end the bar is provided with an aperture 55 through which the hasp of a padlock or a sealing wire may be passed. This means of locking the door renders the interior of the cabinet inaccessible except to the service companys employees.

The door 6 at its upper end is embossed or provided with an offset 60 to accommodate the opening movement of the switch blades 26 and in the central area of the door is an aperture which affords access to the fuses 11. This aperture is bounded by short outwardly extending flanges 61, the bases of which snugly engage the recess 19 in the edge of the fuse block 10. A supplementary door 62 is hinged to the main door 6, as indicated at 63, Fig. 3, and is provided at its edges with flanges 64 (Fig. 2), which when said door is closed embraces the flanges 61 and completely closes the fuse block opening. On its hinged edge the door 62 carries a projection or cam 65 (Figs. 5 and 6), the end of which extends through an aperture 66 in the main door 6 and rests upon the latch tongue 46, the shape of the projection being such that when the door is open the latch tongue 46 is depressed as shown in Fig. 6. At its opposite or free end the supplementary door 62 carries a lip 67 which projects beneath the projection 39 on the switch operating lever 38 and necessitates the latter being moved into a position to open the switch blades and disconnect the live switch terminals of the box before the door 62 can be opened to permit access to the fuses 11. The act of opening the supplementary door 62, it will be observed, causes the switch actuator to be'locked and effectively prevents the closing of the switch arms until. the supplementary door 62 is restored to its normal position. In this position the lip 67 likewise prevents the opening of the main door, even by the service companys employees, until the switch blades have been moved to the open circuit position.

In my present design of service box, I have especially arranged the fuses controlling the circuits of lesser amperage, such as house wiring circuits, at the lower end of the fuse box, so as to permit ready access to these at all times. Circuit connections for service such as ranges, water heater and the like, requiring current of greater amperage, may not be initially required when the supply line is first led into a building or dwelling, in. which event the fuses 11 or some of them may be omitted. However, in such an event the occupant of the premises will not have occasion to open the door 62 and the service company may loci; the, lever 38 in the closed position. Hence, by

locating the fuses 12 at the lower end of the block 10 and rendering them freely accessible through a second aperture in the main door 6, the householder is permitted to renew these fuses in the present customary manner without reference to such provision as may have been made for additional higher duty circuits. 'lhe last mentioned aperture, like the one previously described, is also rectangularand of sufilcient size to include the group of fuses shown, but is partly covered by a plate 70 provided with cutouts, as shown in Fig. l, which cutouts fit over the hubs 72 on the block 10 in which hubs the fuses 12 are inserted. The last mentioned aperture is closed by a vertically swinging door 73 which is hinged at its upper edge as indicated at '14.

From the arrangement of the parts shown and described it will be observed that I have provided a box of the minimum dimensions forthe accommodation of a useful number of fuses for both high and low duty circuits, while maintaining ample clearances between the line terminals themselves and betw'eenthem and the walls of the box., The manner of mounting the fuse block with its two face sections in registration with the apertures in the main door of the casing eifectually preventsimscrupulous persons from obtainingaccestothoseterminalsfromwhichbyproper connections currentmight be stolen. Again the blocking of! or the preventing of access to the fuses for the high. duty circuits until the opening of the main or supply live switches is assured andsubsequently requiringsaidfusestoberendered inaccessible before said switches can be closed eifectively prevents the person who may haveoccasion toreplacesuchafusefrommaking contact with a live circuit terminal either accidentaily or otherwise.

What I claim is: V

1. An electric service box comprising sid walls forming an open front, a fuse block and circuit switch both mounted in the box, a-main door hinged to one side of the box for normally closing the front of the box having an aperture affording access to fuses on the fuse block, a

Dl cmental door normally closing said aperture hinged to the main doorat one edge of said apertw i 's s mistothe of the main door, a crank for opening and closingtheswitchhaving anoperatinghandlelocated exteriorly of the box at the side opposite the door hinges. said supplemental door having an exterior projection extending beneath a projection on said handle when said supplemental door and main door are closed-and whensaid crank is in switch closing position to prevent both the supplemental doorandthemaindo'orfrombeingopened when the switch is in closed position.

2. An electric service box comprising a bottom wall and side walls forming an open front, a fuse block mounted in spaced relation to the bottom wall. a switchin the box comprising a movable blade, a crank actuator comprlsinga portion extending beneath said blade and'an-operating handle located exteriorly ofthe box at one-side and an outwardly extending finger within the box at its opposite side, a door hinged to the side of the box adjacent said finger normally closing the front of the box and engaging the front of the fuse block and having an aperature aifording .access to fuses on the block, a supplemental door normally closing said aperature and hingedto the hinged side of the main door, a latch tongue on the inner side of the main door, a cam projection on the supplemental door for moving said tongue into the path of the crank finger when the supplemental door is opened, and projections on the latter and on the crank handle cooperating to lock the doors in closed position when the handle is moved to actuate the switch blade into closed circuit position.

3. An electric service box having a bottom wall and side walls and a door hinged toone of the side wallsand normally closing the front of the box, said door having a central aperture, a fuse block mounted in the box and abutting the inner side of the door having fuse compartments registering with the door aperture, a switch com prising a movable blade pivoted at one end of the block and a stationary contact cooperating with its free end and mounted onthe bottom of the box, acrank actuator for moving the blade iournalled in a plane beneath the block having an operating handle arranged exteriorly of the box at one side and a locking finger arranged with its extremity in juxtaposition with the door at its hinged side, a tongue on the door having a free end movable into the path of said finger, a supplemental door hinged on the main door and normally covering the aperture therein, a cam on the supplemental door serving to depress said tongue when the supplemental door is opened. and cooperating projections on the supplemental door and the crank operating handle serving to lock said supplemental door lnits closed position when the handle is in the closed switch position.

4. In an electric circuit service box, a casing having side walls forming an open front. a fuse block and circuit switch both'mounted in said casing, a main door for closing .said open front havinganapertureaifordingaccesstofuseson said block, a supplemental door for closing said 188 aperture hinged to said main door, a crank actuator for operating said switch having an operating handle at one end located exteriorly of .said casing and a finger at its other end located 385 MORGAN J. LIWIB. 

